Just a few months after opening, Tiki Boyd’s in Denver has had a bit of a shakeup. A dispute between the management and some of the key players behind Tiki Boyd’s, including Boyd Rice, has led to Tiki Boyd’s pulling up stakes and looking for a new location. Particularly at issue were the firings and/or perceived mistreatment of head mixologist Lorin Partridge, who designed most of the tiki drinks for Tiki Boyd’s, and Brian Clark, who had created the website, printed menus and provided much of the vinyl.

Boyd Rice had suggested and supplied the tiki decor, and having done so gratis, decided to take the name and decor back when relations went sour. Per Modern Drunkard Editor Frank Rich:

At that point Boyd decided to pull his décor. He’d never been paid for any of the labor or materials, so he certainly had the right. He enlisted the help of six members of the Denver Gentleman’s Pipe Smoking League (including myself) and during an extraordinary daytime raid the intrepid (and rather smartly dressed) cadre managed to strip the place bare in less than forty minutes.

Man, I wish I could have been there to see that! The former Tiki Boyd’s is now operating under an unknown new name, and having been stripped of the tikiness, is more of a retro/rockabilly place with posters for decor. The Tiki Boyd’s team is intent on doing it right now that they’re starting over; they now have larger financial backing, and are looking to go “more authentic.” They’re scouting locations, and hope to have one selected soon.

• Tiki Boyd’s
• Tiki Boyd’s, Denver [Critiki]